Search your town to see which council licenses HMOs in your area, jump straight to their current licensing schemes, and check the fire risk assessment duty that applies to you. Covering 100 towns and 67 councils across the North West, Yorkshire, the Midlands & North Wales.
Mandatory HMO licence (all of England): any property let to five or more people forming two or more households, who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, needs a mandatory HMO licence from the council — whatever the number of storeys.
Additional & selective licensing (local): many councils also license smaller HMOs (additional licensing) or all private rentals in a defined area (selective licensing). These schemes are set locally and change over time — use the council link on your card above to check the current schemes for your address.
The fire risk assessment duty: whichever licensing applies, a current fire risk assessment is required for the common parts under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and a satisfactory assessment is a standard condition of an HMO licence.
Wales: the Fire Safety Order applies identically, and landlords must also be registered and licensed through Rent Smart Wales.
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England for a large HMO — a property let to five or more people forming two or more separate households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Many councils also run additional licensing (covering smaller HMOs) or selective licensing (all private rented homes in a defined area). These schemes are set locally and change, so always check your own council's current schemes using the link in the tool above.
Yes. A current fire risk assessment is required for the common parts of any HMO under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and a satisfactory assessment is a standard condition of HMO licensing. Councils routinely ask to see it as part of the licence application or renewal.
The Fire Safety Order 2005 applies in Wales exactly as it does in England, so the fire risk assessment duty is identical. In addition, every private landlord and agent in Wales must be registered and licensed through Rent Smart Wales, and large HMOs need a mandatory HMO licence from the local council.
Yes. The communal areas of any block of flats need a fire risk assessment under the Fire Safety Order 2005. Since the Fire Safety Act 2021, that assessment must also cover the building's structure, external walls and flat entrance doors.
We carry out RRO 2005-compliant fire risk assessments for HMOs, blocks of flats and businesses across all the areas above. Fixed-fee quote within 2 hours, report within 48 hours of the visit.
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